Let’s face it, the meetings industry is currently in a position of defending itself. Now more than ever, stakeholders in major organizations and associations are looking for ways to cut costs and improve their image, and meetings are under close scrutiny.
Using sustainable meeting practices is one strategy for your organization to show a commitment to cutting the excess while being good corporate citizens. If your stakeholders (such as the board of directors, senior management and sponsors) are not quite convinced but are asking questions, here are a few tips to help you sell green meetings and increase your professional ROI.
Question: Times are tough, can we save money?
Answer: Cost savings are real. There are many examples of cost savings, but to cite just one, the cost of reducing (not eliminating) shuttle transportation from the closest hotels to the meeting venue saved one conference $60,000.
In an unsolicited testimonial, one fellow planner recently stated the following: “I developed and introduced our “Green Initiative” at our Annual Convention in June...In fact, overall, the initiatives saved us money. The biodegradable cups were obviously less expensive than bottled water, and the grocery bags saved us about 65 percent compared with the cost for our typical tote bags. We also did a good job of promoting the Green Initiative in advance (through e-mails) and on-site in our show daily. These were small steps, but now that I have demonstrated cost savings and buy-in from attendees, I know that we can continue and expand upon our Green Initiative.”
Consumers Make the Call
Remember, consumers are driving the demand. A 2008 survey by the National Geographic Society and GlobScan on consumer choice and the environment reported on current behavior in 14 countries (including Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Russia, the U.K. and the U.S.).
The study found signs that consumers in all countries “feel empowered when it comes to the environment and are taking some action in their daily lives to reduce consumption and waste.”
More than a third of U.S. respondents in a TripAdvisor survey said they will visit an environmentally friendly hotel or resort in 2009. Likewise, 32 percent of respondents said they will be more environmentally conscious in their travel decisions than they were the year before.
Question: How will this affect our reputation?
Answer: During the past several months, the media has been full of organizations being taken to task for sponsoring events seen as wasteful or excessive. It is a reminder of how your organization’s image is closely linked with the event—good or bad.
Question: Isn’t this just a fad?
Answer: The sustainable meeting industry is alive and growing—it shows no signs of stopping. In fact, the move to the mainstream is well under way.
Consider this statement from the December 2008 Ernst & Young report, Global Hospitality Insights: Hospitality Going Green: “Green programs can provide a competitive advantage as long as green activities are still optional in the market.
However, over time, green practices will become a baseline requirement to doing business in the hospitality industry, particularly as the cost of non-renewable energy continues to increase. Thus, those companies with business models that revolve around green practices will have the strongest opportunity of achieving a “sustainable” competitive advantage.”
To sum it up, this is an opportunity for you to show your stakeholders how important your role is to the organization.
You are on the front line of how your organization is presented, and hold the key to cost savings made possible by green meeting practices. It is vitally important in today’s economy to play this role!
